Oahu has so many beautiful places to visit along its shoreline. Over the next couple of days, we braved the weather and then enjoyed the sun as we visited different parts of the island.
Into The Squall
I was amazed at the difference one ridge could make. We left our Airbnb to head to the North Shore and some snorkeling. What we failed to realize is that winter means the north shore is CRAZY! I know, we should have checked, but since it was our first time in Hawaii, I wasn’t up to speed on what the North Shore really meant. As soon as we crossed over a ridge that separated the south side of the island from the east side, the weather changed from partly cloudy and great to fully socked in and raining. The farther north we went, the worse it got. I don’t know what anyone else was thinking, but I was sure this roadtrip was a bust. We dropped by a few beaches, but the rain just wasn’t worth it. Then, as we were driving, I spotted some surf companies’ tents. I thought, something’s got to be up if these guys are out here. It sure was.
We stopped at the beach and walked over to a spot we could see, and there were surfers riding huge waves into the beach. I couldn’t believe it, but there they were. It was quite the site. I didn’t bring a lens that could reach out to them at that time, but it was fun to watch them take on the ocean. Further down the road, we arrived at where we thought we would go snorkeling. The whole area was closed off because of surf danger, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t get some great shots of the waves crashing ashore.
Morning Vibes
The next morning, I headed east again, but this time, I took off for Lanikai Beach. I saw it in the distance on my first morning, but was too busy trying to get my head wrapped around the island. Now, I was determined to get to it and find out about all the things I heard about it. Still getting my bearings on how “big” the island is, I got there early and started walking down the beach in the dark, but things soon changed as the sun started to lighten the sky over the eastern horizon. The soft waves and the smooth sand made for a magical moment as I got to enjoy a sunrise on the beach all to my self, almost.
This was probably my most favorite beach to set up on and I just sat there and let the water lap around my feet and my tripod as I continued to snap photos of the landscape. Maybe one day, I’ll come back and catch the turquoise water as the sun brightens the sky.
